William Hales

Who was William Hales?

William Hales was an Irish clergyman and scientific writer.

He was born in Cork, Ireland, the son of Samuel Hales, the curate at the cathedral church there.

He went to Trinity College, Dublin in 1764 and became a fellow there, graduating with a BA and DD. He later became professor of oriental languages in the university. In 1778 he published Sonorum doctrina rationalis et experimentalis a study, based on experiments, of Newton's theory of sounds. In 1782 he published De motibus planetarum dissertatio, another study of Newtonian theory, this time on the motions of the planets in eccentric orbits. In 1788 he had printed at his own expense Analysis aequationum, a mathematical text for which he was complimented by Joseph Louis Lagrange.

In 1788 Dr. Hales resigned as professor and became Church of Ireland rector of Killeshandra, county Cavan, and lived there for the rest of his life. In 1791 he married and he and his wife had two sons and two daughters. In 1798 he obtained government troops to regain control of the country round Killeshandra, following the landing by a French army at Killala. From about 1812 was chancellor of the diocese of Emly.